BUTTERSHAW 2nd XI v EAST LEEDS 2nd XI 25th August 2018

Match Report – Buttershaw St. Paul’s A v. East Leeds A 25th August 2018

Report by John Steel

East Leeds A 171-8 (All Out) Buttershaw A 175-6

East Leeds have sadly become accustomed to being unable to field a full side and were grateful to Dean Atkinson for coming in as a ninth man on Saturday despite the pin which still protrudes from his broken left forefinger.

Making first use of a variable pitch, the visitors were hopeful that Junaid and Rajab Ali would pick up from where they left off the previous week and so it seemed at first with Rajab climbing into the medium pace of Buttershaw skipper Dan Bolland to race to 24 from only 8 deliveries before the bowler gained revenge in inducing an edge through to keeper, Silson.

Mushtaq joined Junaid to move the score on to 67 at a more measured pace before Junaid fell to a brilliant one handed catch at long-off by McGrath to leave for 16; followed 11 runs later by Mushtaq for 22, pushing firmly at a ball which stuck in the pitch to present Patel with an easy catch off McDermott. Dan Thewlis struck a couple of pleasing boundaries before star man Pritesh Lad had him caught behind to give Silson a second victim.

John Steel joined Dean Atkinson to take the score on to 99 before missing a straight one from the spinner, (Ronnie) Barker and depart LBW for 14.

Atkinson, who had been uncharacteristically, but perhaps understandably quiet then took full advantage of some friendly bowling to reach 36 from 32 balls with 2 boundaries and four maximums before being bowled with the score on 143-6.

With East Leeds running out of wickets, it was down to Darrell Jones to try and keep the innings together; he batted through to remain undefeated on 19 from 30 deliveries assited by Sam Thewlis, (10) and Aaron Pearce (4) before the innings closed on 175 with just short of five overs remaining from the standard allocation of 40.

A splendid tea was served by the good ladies of Buttershaw before Rajab Ali and Bobby Mushtaq opened the defence; Bobby in particular bowled some searching overs, accounting for Wilson, LBW for 6 and Patel, brilliantly taken at slip by Thewlis for 4 and the introduction of Jones for his first bowling outing of the season claiming the league’s most destructive batsman, Lad for LBW for 1 left the home side on 57-3 and hope in East Leeds hearts.

Experienced opener Andrew Pinfield had different plans however and he gave an exemplary display of batsmanship to ensure that the Buttershaw cause would succeed; whilst Sam Thewlis, Jones and Mushtaq all claimed wickets, it was Pinfield who was the clear difference between the sides; carrying his bat for a chanceless 104 from 115 balls to see his side home with 5 overs remaining.

Once more, Mushtaq was the pick of the bowlers with 3-44 from 12; Ali had 0-25, Jones, 2-46 and Sam Thewlis 1-46, but realistically having only 9 men cost East Leeds dearly in terms of both batting and occupation of the crease as well as the policing of such a small ground.